According to MLB Network’s insider Mark Feinsand, Maldonado will receive a $4 million salary in 2024. The agreement also gives the White Sox a $4 million club option for 2025.

Maldonado spent the past four-and-a-half seasons with the Astros. During that time, he was considered a valuable member of the organization, developing a strong rapport with the team’s pitchers while also providing veteran leadership and strong defense.

However, after the 37-year-old player experienced a down campaign in 2023, the Astros opted not to re-sign him. Instead, the team agreed to a deal with Victor Caratini while also planning to lean more heavily on second-year catcher Yainer Diaz.

Maldonado will now step into the White Sox’s clubhouse to replace two-time All-Star Yasmani Grandal, who departed in free agency. He is expected to bring experience to a rebuilding team that should feature several new pitchers next season.

During his 13 years in the MLB, Martin Maldonado also played with the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels, and Chicago Cubs, among other teams. He has a batting average of .207 with 111 homers and 361 RBIs. Maldonado was part of the Astros’ team that won the World Series in 2022 and has one Golden Glove award on his resume.

The post Veteran Catcher Martin Maldonado Signs With the Chicago White Sox appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The former Padres star is expected to join the ranks of Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, Michael Kopech, and Lucas Giolito this upcoming season.

Clevinger proved to be a reliable player at the San Diego Padres last season, posting 7-7 with a 4.33 ERA. This comes after the 31-year-old pitcher missed the entirety of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Heading into his sixth season in the major leagues, Clevinger has a career record of 51-30 and a 3.39 ERA. The peak of his MLB career spanned from 2017 to 2019, when he won 38 games while part of the Cleveland Guardians.

It has been revealed that the deal is still pending a physical examination. The exact details of the agreement remain undisclosed.

The post Mike Clevinger Agrees to Deal With White Sox appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Grifol has been a member of staff at the Kansas City Royals since 2013, most recently working as the bench coach. The 52-year-old manager was recently interviewed by the team for the role of manager, however, Kansas City opted to go with Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro.

Born and raised in Miami, Grifol played baseball at Florida State University after which he spent nine seasons in the minor leagues. Grifol arrived at the Kansas City Royals in 2021, replacing Tony La Russa who had been appointed as the manager of the White Sox.

Following Grifol’s appointment as White Sox manager, former Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo is expected to fill the role of bench coach. It is also believed that Grifol is inclined to keep on pitching coach Ethan Katz but will seek a new hitting coach.

The post White Sox to Hire Pedro Grifol as Manager appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

La Russa, who was under contract with the White Sox through 2023, previously left the team in late August after doctors recommended further testing on the heart problem he had. The 78-year-old previously underwent pacemaker implantation in early 2022.

“At no time this season did either issue negatively affect my responsibilities as White Sox manager,” La Russa said in a team-released statement. “However, it has become obvious that the length of the treatment and recovery process for this second health issue makes it impossible for me to be the White Sox manager in 2023.”

Tony La Russa is considered one of the greatest managers in baseball history. He won one World Series with the Oakland Athletics and two with the St. Louis Cardinals before retiring in 2011. After a decade away from MLB, La Russa was convinced by the White Sox to take over the team for the second time ahead of the 2021 season.

In his first season with the White Sox, La Russa led the team to the AL Central title but failed to get past the AL Division Series in the playoffs. The 2022 season proved to be much more challenging for La Russa as the team struggled for the better part of the campaign. The Chicago team was 63-65 when he took a leave of absence.

The post Tony La Russa Steps Down as Chicago White Sox Manager Due to Health Issues appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

While the details of La Russa’s medical diagnosis were not disclosed, he missed Tuesday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals when, less than one hour before the game, his doctors advised him not to attend the game.

Bench coach Miguel Cairo took over as manager for the White Sox’s 9-7 loss to the Royals, the team’s fifth consecutive defeat. According to Cairo, there was no specific incident leading La Russa to withdraw from the game, but rather doctors’ orders. He also confirmed that La Russa seemed alright during the build-up to the game.

The White Sox have largely underperformed this season, now sitting midtable in the AL Central standings. While La Russa has taken the brunt of the blame for the team’s poor form, Cairo came out in defense of his manager, stating: “We have to do it for him. He cares about this team. He really loves the Chicago White Sox. We have to do it for him.”

The post White Sox Manager La Russa Ruled Out of Action appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Crochet had a good start to the Reds game, striking out the Reds’ infielder Sebastian Almonte. However, his next pitch caused him to feel soreness in his arm, and he had to exit the contest.

According to Hahn, Crochet will seek a second opinion on the injury in the next couple of days, but the initial news is not great.

“The preliminary MRI reading is not great,” Hahn explained. “There appears to be some damage to the ligament.”

If Crochet undergoes Tommy John surgery, he would miss the entire 2022 season and likely a portion of 2023. In that case, the White Sox will most likely have to turn to lefties Anderson Severino and Bennett Sousa despite neither having any MLB experience. Another option would be finding Crochet’s replacement on the trade market.

The Chicago White Sox drafted Garrett Crochet with the 11th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft and immediately added him to their majors’ roster. He made five appearances in his first year as a pro before taking on the full role in 2021. Crochet played 54 games last season, finishing with a 3-5 record, 2.54 ERA, and 65 strikeouts.

The post White Sox’s Lefty Garrett Crochet Will Need a Tommy John Surgery appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently reported that the White Sox intend to lock Kimbrel for the 2022 season for the sole purpose of trading him during the offseason. As Nightengale points out, the decision is most likely prompted by the 33-year-old’s struggles as a setup man while in Chicago.

Kimbrel started the season with the Chicago Cubs and emerged dominant in the closer role. He posted a 0.49 ERA and had 64 strikeouts and 23 saves in 39 games before being traded to the White Sox in late July.

The White Sox already had All-Star Liam Hendriks as their closer, but believed Kimbrel could help them in a setup role. This didn’t exactly work out for Chicago, with Kimbrel managing 5.09 ERA, 36 strikeouts, and one save in 24 regular-season games. He especially struggled in the postseason, posting 9.00 ERA and having zero strikeouts.

Despite the poor finish of the season, Craig Kimbrel should have plenty of suitors if the White Sox actually decide to shop him around. He still has a reputation as one of the best closers in the league, and closer-needy teams will jump on the chance to add him for the right price.

The post White Sox Will Attempt to Trade Reliever Craig Kimbrel appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The White Sox are also the first MLB team in the 2021 season to clinch the division title. This means they’ll make the playoffs in consecutive seasons, something that never happened before in the franchise’s history.

Chicago is currently 86-66 in the AL Central and has an 11.5 games advantage over the Indians, who are second. Cleveland has 11 games left to play this season and is out of the playoff picture.

The White Sox will now turn their attention to the postseason in attempts to make a run for their fourth World Series win and first since 2005. Manager Tony La Russa told reporters on Thursday that they can go all the way just like any other team that makes the playoffs.

“Anybody who is good enough to get in, is good enough to win three series,” La Russa said via The Athletic‘s James Fegan.

According to the current playoff picture, the Chicago White Sox’s road to World Series will begin in the AL Divisional Series against the Houston Astros (91-61), who seem bound to win the AL West. The Tampa Bay Rays (94-59) are the best team in the AL, and if they remain so, they will play the AL Wild Card winner in the second ALDS.

The post White Sox First to Clinch Division in 2021 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

General manager Kenny Williams continued to attempt to do so on Tuesday, agreeing to a three-year, $54 million contract with star free agent relief pitcher Liam Hendriks.

The Australian righty, a 2019 AL All-Star and the winner of the 2020 AL Reliever of the Year award, became a free agent this offseason after a season that saw him post a 1.78 ERA in 24 games. He was a good bet to get a big deal after finishing each of the last two seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA, and he got just that with the South Siders.

Hendriks profiles as the team’s new closer, giving them a reliable and dynamic arm to help the team close out games. The White Sox already had a good bullpen in 2020, finishing with the seventh-lowest relief ERA in the Majors.

Their new addition will make a good unit even better and add a key piece that they hope will serve them in many Octobers to come.

Hendriks is expected to report to White Sox Spring Training in Arizona next month.

The post Star Reliever Liam Hendriks Inks 3-Year Deal with White Sox appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The 2020 MLB season was a very different one because of the COVID-19 pandemic shortening the season to 60 games instead of the usual 162. But because of this, anyone who wanted to be considered for MVP honors this year couldn’t afford to go through even the slightest slump.

Freddie Freeman’s performance in Atlanta was particularly impactful because it was clear that the offense was going to have to carry the team after the Braves lost a slew of pitchers to injuries and pandemic-related opt-outs.

Freeman posted a .341 batting average, .462 on-base percentage, and .640 slugging percentage, all career highs. He also had more walks than strikeouts (45 vs. 37) and hit 13 home runs.

Freeman beat out two flashy MLB stars, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts and San Diego Padres slugger Manny Macahdo, because of his sheer consistency and his important to his team.

Abreu was similarly recognized for consistency and for his importance to the team. He is the first White Sox to win the MVP award since Frank Thomas took the title in back-to-back seasons in 1993-94.

The post Jose Abreu, Freddie Freeman Named MLB 2020 MVPs appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to MLB Network’s insider Mark Feinsand, Maldonado will receive a $4 million salary in 2024. The agreement also gives the White Sox a $4 million club option for 2025.

Maldonado spent the past four-and-a-half seasons with the Astros. During that time, he was considered a valuable member of the organization, developing a strong rapport with the team’s pitchers while also providing veteran leadership and strong defense.

However, after the 37-year-old player experienced a down campaign in 2023, the Astros opted not to re-sign him. Instead, the team agreed to a deal with Victor Caratini while also planning to lean more heavily on second-year catcher Yainer Diaz.

Maldonado will now step into the White Sox’s clubhouse to replace two-time All-Star Yasmani Grandal, who departed in free agency. He is expected to bring experience to a rebuilding team that should feature several new pitchers next season.

During his 13 years in the MLB, Martin Maldonado also played with the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels, and Chicago Cubs, among other teams. He has a batting average of .207 with 111 homers and 361 RBIs. Maldonado was part of the Astros’ team that won the World Series in 2022 and has one Golden Glove award on his resume.

The post Veteran Catcher Martin Maldonado Signs With the Chicago White Sox appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The former Padres star is expected to join the ranks of Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, Michael Kopech, and Lucas Giolito this upcoming season.

Clevinger proved to be a reliable player at the San Diego Padres last season, posting 7-7 with a 4.33 ERA. This comes after the 31-year-old pitcher missed the entirety of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Heading into his sixth season in the major leagues, Clevinger has a career record of 51-30 and a 3.39 ERA. The peak of his MLB career spanned from 2017 to 2019, when he won 38 games while part of the Cleveland Guardians.

It has been revealed that the deal is still pending a physical examination. The exact details of the agreement remain undisclosed.

The post Mike Clevinger Agrees to Deal With White Sox appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Grifol has been a member of staff at the Kansas City Royals since 2013, most recently working as the bench coach. The 52-year-old manager was recently interviewed by the team for the role of manager, however, Kansas City opted to go with Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro.

Born and raised in Miami, Grifol played baseball at Florida State University after which he spent nine seasons in the minor leagues. Grifol arrived at the Kansas City Royals in 2021, replacing Tony La Russa who had been appointed as the manager of the White Sox.

Following Grifol’s appointment as White Sox manager, former Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo is expected to fill the role of bench coach. It is also believed that Grifol is inclined to keep on pitching coach Ethan Katz but will seek a new hitting coach.

The post White Sox to Hire Pedro Grifol as Manager appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

La Russa, who was under contract with the White Sox through 2023, previously left the team in late August after doctors recommended further testing on the heart problem he had. The 78-year-old previously underwent pacemaker implantation in early 2022.

“At no time this season did either issue negatively affect my responsibilities as White Sox manager,” La Russa said in a team-released statement. “However, it has become obvious that the length of the treatment and recovery process for this second health issue makes it impossible for me to be the White Sox manager in 2023.”

Tony La Russa is considered one of the greatest managers in baseball history. He won one World Series with the Oakland Athletics and two with the St. Louis Cardinals before retiring in 2011. After a decade away from MLB, La Russa was convinced by the White Sox to take over the team for the second time ahead of the 2021 season.

In his first season with the White Sox, La Russa led the team to the AL Central title but failed to get past the AL Division Series in the playoffs. The 2022 season proved to be much more challenging for La Russa as the team struggled for the better part of the campaign. The Chicago team was 63-65 when he took a leave of absence.

The post Tony La Russa Steps Down as Chicago White Sox Manager Due to Health Issues appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

While the details of La Russa’s medical diagnosis were not disclosed, he missed Tuesday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals when, less than one hour before the game, his doctors advised him not to attend the game.

Bench coach Miguel Cairo took over as manager for the White Sox’s 9-7 loss to the Royals, the team’s fifth consecutive defeat. According to Cairo, there was no specific incident leading La Russa to withdraw from the game, but rather doctors’ orders. He also confirmed that La Russa seemed alright during the build-up to the game.

The White Sox have largely underperformed this season, now sitting midtable in the AL Central standings. While La Russa has taken the brunt of the blame for the team’s poor form, Cairo came out in defense of his manager, stating: “We have to do it for him. He cares about this team. He really loves the Chicago White Sox. We have to do it for him.”

The post White Sox Manager La Russa Ruled Out of Action appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Crochet had a good start to the Reds game, striking out the Reds’ infielder Sebastian Almonte. However, his next pitch caused him to feel soreness in his arm, and he had to exit the contest.

According to Hahn, Crochet will seek a second opinion on the injury in the next couple of days, but the initial news is not great.

“The preliminary MRI reading is not great,” Hahn explained. “There appears to be some damage to the ligament.”

If Crochet undergoes Tommy John surgery, he would miss the entire 2022 season and likely a portion of 2023. In that case, the White Sox will most likely have to turn to lefties Anderson Severino and Bennett Sousa despite neither having any MLB experience. Another option would be finding Crochet’s replacement on the trade market.

The Chicago White Sox drafted Garrett Crochet with the 11th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft and immediately added him to their majors’ roster. He made five appearances in his first year as a pro before taking on the full role in 2021. Crochet played 54 games last season, finishing with a 3-5 record, 2.54 ERA, and 65 strikeouts.

The post White Sox’s Lefty Garrett Crochet Will Need a Tommy John Surgery appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently reported that the White Sox intend to lock Kimbrel for the 2022 season for the sole purpose of trading him during the offseason. As Nightengale points out, the decision is most likely prompted by the 33-year-old’s struggles as a setup man while in Chicago.

Kimbrel started the season with the Chicago Cubs and emerged dominant in the closer role. He posted a 0.49 ERA and had 64 strikeouts and 23 saves in 39 games before being traded to the White Sox in late July.

The White Sox already had All-Star Liam Hendriks as their closer, but believed Kimbrel could help them in a setup role. This didn’t exactly work out for Chicago, with Kimbrel managing 5.09 ERA, 36 strikeouts, and one save in 24 regular-season games. He especially struggled in the postseason, posting 9.00 ERA and having zero strikeouts.

Despite the poor finish of the season, Craig Kimbrel should have plenty of suitors if the White Sox actually decide to shop him around. He still has a reputation as one of the best closers in the league, and closer-needy teams will jump on the chance to add him for the right price.

The post White Sox Will Attempt to Trade Reliever Craig Kimbrel appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The White Sox are also the first MLB team in the 2021 season to clinch the division title. This means they’ll make the playoffs in consecutive seasons, something that never happened before in the franchise’s history.

Chicago is currently 86-66 in the AL Central and has an 11.5 games advantage over the Indians, who are second. Cleveland has 11 games left to play this season and is out of the playoff picture.

The White Sox will now turn their attention to the postseason in attempts to make a run for their fourth World Series win and first since 2005. Manager Tony La Russa told reporters on Thursday that they can go all the way just like any other team that makes the playoffs.

“Anybody who is good enough to get in, is good enough to win three series,” La Russa said via The Athletic‘s James Fegan.

According to the current playoff picture, the Chicago White Sox’s road to World Series will begin in the AL Divisional Series against the Houston Astros (91-61), who seem bound to win the AL West. The Tampa Bay Rays (94-59) are the best team in the AL, and if they remain so, they will play the AL Wild Card winner in the second ALDS.

The post White Sox First to Clinch Division in 2021 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

General manager Kenny Williams continued to attempt to do so on Tuesday, agreeing to a three-year, $54 million contract with star free agent relief pitcher Liam Hendriks.

The Australian righty, a 2019 AL All-Star and the winner of the 2020 AL Reliever of the Year award, became a free agent this offseason after a season that saw him post a 1.78 ERA in 24 games. He was a good bet to get a big deal after finishing each of the last two seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA, and he got just that with the South Siders.

Hendriks profiles as the team’s new closer, giving them a reliable and dynamic arm to help the team close out games. The White Sox already had a good bullpen in 2020, finishing with the seventh-lowest relief ERA in the Majors.

Their new addition will make a good unit even better and add a key piece that they hope will serve them in many Octobers to come.

Hendriks is expected to report to White Sox Spring Training in Arizona next month.

The post Star Reliever Liam Hendriks Inks 3-Year Deal with White Sox appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The 2020 MLB season was a very different one because of the COVID-19 pandemic shortening the season to 60 games instead of the usual 162. But because of this, anyone who wanted to be considered for MVP honors this year couldn’t afford to go through even the slightest slump.

Freddie Freeman’s performance in Atlanta was particularly impactful because it was clear that the offense was going to have to carry the team after the Braves lost a slew of pitchers to injuries and pandemic-related opt-outs.

Freeman posted a .341 batting average, .462 on-base percentage, and .640 slugging percentage, all career highs. He also had more walks than strikeouts (45 vs. 37) and hit 13 home runs.

Freeman beat out two flashy MLB stars, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts and San Diego Padres slugger Manny Macahdo, because of his sheer consistency and his important to his team.

Abreu was similarly recognized for consistency and for his importance to the team. He is the first White Sox to win the MVP award since Frank Thomas took the title in back-to-back seasons in 1993-94.

The post Jose Abreu, Freddie Freeman Named MLB 2020 MVPs appeared first on yoursportspot.com.